The forensic area of practice has been a popular career choice and area of study for many of the health science disciplines. Forensic nursing is a nursing specialty with subspecialties that focus on nursing practice who care for victims and offenders, living and deceased at the clinical legal interface. This integrated review of the literature overviewed the historical development of each of the forensic nursing subspecialties and identified gaps in specialty nursing educational development. Although multiple studies for the last 30 years identified the need for forensic nursing education, recommendations did not soon translate into educational curriculum development. The literature showed that role development was not concurrent with educational development in all forensic nursing subspecialties.
© 2010 Blackwell Publishing.